Andre Ward has refused to participate in the VADA testing

[imp]

Well...I can't really say Ward juices since he doesn't KO anyone really but outboxes them. I'm just rather surprised is all.

[p4pking]

it may be absurd to expect someone to test themselves beyond the limit of the rules as the currently stand... but Ward said he would do the testing and since saying that, hasn't. there's the problem...and its only amplified when you take into consideration his relationship with Victor Conte who is an admitted steroid supplier/nutritionist.

I'm sure he still would do the testing if it were ever a matter of making a fight happen or any sort of career advancement, this seems to be a case where it was never expected though. I don't know how shady working with Conte is at all either, I'm sure the guy has all sorts of perfectly legal tricks and he's clearly an expert in his field.

[Beanflicker]

Conte is a master sports nutritionist who was making a killing well before he got into the steroid dealing business. And he's been caught and done jail time for providing steroids to athletes... why would he risk going back to the slammer?

In the end, I think this discussion proves one thing, and that is that the AC's are completely useless and they need to revamp their testing. It's not the athletes responsibility to pay out of pocket to prove their clean. This is a task for the athletic commission.

[TitoFan]

I think this is all pretty much straightforward.

It is the responsibility of the boxing governing bodies to seek and provide the most effective means available to perform drug testing. It is the fighters' responsibilities to agree to and submit to whatever this testing is, provided it is done equally to both fighters in any particular fight.

Everything else is superfluous and can be safely disregarded.

[jehoshaphat]

it may be absurd to expect someone to test themselves beyond the limit of the rules as the currently stand... but Ward said he would do the testing and since saying that, hasn't. there's the problem...and its only amplified when you take into consideration his relationship with Victor Conte who is an admitted steroid supplier/nutritionist.

Ward never said he would do the testing. It wasn't even brought up in negotiations. Even in the press conference Ward never agreed to Rodriguez's blast for VADA testing. You're basing your entire scheme off a later side interview when Ward was asked about Rodriguez's out of nowhere comments about PED testing and Ward basically said it was absurd and a set up question and that he has been subjected to PED testing many times before and its not a problem. And if Ward's former relationship with Conte amplifies suspicious for you then what does Rodriguez's current relationship with Conte do for you? Not to mention Conte's relationship as an adviser/consultant for VADA. Look Rocco I get it I really do, in this day in age no one is innocent but no one should be attacked or singled out without definitive proof.

[Rantcatrat]

Make a rule and not an offer. Real simple. Its not rocket science.

Exactly

Why is there a double standard for Ward but not for Pacquiao? There was no rule for Pacquiao. He wouldn't take the tests offered by Mayweather. Now we are a few years later, better informed of the PED landscape and with more knowledge that boxers cheat, and we still are giving guys' passes? Ward made $2MM for this fight! Pay for your own test and show Rodriguez up after you win the fight. It's simple, I agree.

[Rantcatrat]

it may be absurd to expect someone to test themselves beyond the limit of the rules as the currently stand... but Ward said he would do the testing and since saying that, hasn't. there's the problem...and its only amplified when you take into consideration his relationship with Victor Conte who is an admitted steroid supplier/nutritionist.

Ward never said he would do the testing. It wasn't even brought up in negotiations. Even in the press conference Ward never agreed to Rodriguez's blast for VADA testing. You're basing your entire scheme off a later side interview when Ward was asked about Rodriguez's out of nowhere comments about PED testing and Ward basically said it was absurd and a set up question and that he has been subjected to PED testing many times before and its not a problem. And if Ward's former relationship with Conte amplifies suspicious for you then what does Rodriguez's current relationship with Conte do for you? Not to mention Conte's relationship as an adviser/consultant for VADA. Look Rocco I get it I really do, in this day in age no one is innocent but no one should be attacked or singled out without definitive proof.

However, Ward refused to take a test. Now, that's what we'll know him by. "Ward, the guy who refused to take the test."

[ruthless rocco]

so rodriguez says "i'm gonna do this testing cause i have nothing to hide....but will andre do the testing too?"
andre replies "i'll do testing, i've been tested a lot in the past and i'd do it again...but not this time because i don't like how you asked in front of people."

rodriguez was smart by not pressing the issue during the negotiations.
1- ward's camp may have passed on him as an opponent if he was too demanding.
2- he may have lost the chance to fight for as large a purse--wards camp agrees to the testing but only if rodriguez takes a smaller cut to pay for ward's testing or some bullshit.
3- ward now looks suspect in the court of public opinion.
4- these questions will dog and distract ward as he prepares for the fight as every journalist asks him over and over.

as for conte...if he's gone legit he's legit and it won't affect rodriguez cause he's the one choosing to be tested. whereas ward looks like he's scared of what the results may be.

[IamInuit]

Make a rule and not an offer. Real simple. Its not rocket science.

Exactly

Why is there a double standard for Ward but not for Pacquiao? There was no rule for Pacquiao. He wouldn't take the tests offered by Mayweather. Now we are a few years later, better informed of the PED landscape and with more knowledge that boxers cheat, and we still are giving guys' passes? Ward made $2MM for this fight! Pay for your own test and show Rodriguez up after you win the fight. It's simple, I agree.

People need to quit using that dog and pony show 2 year circus act as some kind of standard. I'm sure if this was a 100 million dollar fight Ward would live in a cage at the lab.

[jehoshaphat]

Make a rule and not an offer. Real simple. Its not rocket science.

Exactly

Why is there a double standard for Ward but not for Pacquiao? There was no rule for Pacquiao. He wouldn't take the tests offered by Mayweather. Now we are a few years later, better informed of the PED landscape and with more knowledge that boxers cheat, and we still are giving guys' passes? Ward made $2MM for this fight! Pay for your own test and show Rodriguez up after you win the fight. It's simple, I agree.

People need to quit using that dog and pony show 2 year circus act as some kind of standard. I'm sure if this was a 100 million dollar fight Ward would live in a cage at the lab.

These are 2 things too far apart to compare. Beside the fact that one was done in negotiations and the other basically done in a press conference. Pac looked suspicious not because he refused but because his reasons for not wanting the tests were outright lies. He started with saying he was afraid of needles, but dons many tattoos, then he said he didn't want to give blood (thought it would make him weak) within 2 weeks of the fight and then 24/7 clearly shows Pac getting blood drawn for a physical around 12 days before his Hatton fight. That's what made Pac look suspicious. Not to mention the 40 million other reasons.

[IamInuit]

Make a rule and not an offer. Real simple. Its not rocket science.

Exactly

Why is there a double standard for Ward but not for Pacquiao? There was no rule for Pacquiao. He wouldn't take the tests offered by Mayweather. Now we are a few years later, better informed of the PED landscape and with more knowledge that boxers cheat, and we still are giving guys' passes? Ward made $2MM for this fight! Pay for your own test and show Rodriguez up after you win the fight. It's simple, I agree.

People need to quit using that dog and pony show 2 year circus act as some kind of standard. I'm sure if this was a 100 million dollar fight Ward would live in a cage at the lab.

These are 2 things too far apart to compare. Beside the fact that one was done in negotiations and the other basically done in a press conference. Pac looked suspicious not because he refused but because his reasons for not wanting the tests were outright lies. He started with saying he was afraid of needles, but dons many tattoos, then he said he didn't want to give blood (thought it would make him weak) within 2 weeks of the fight and then 24/7 clearly shows Pac getting blood drawn for a physical around 12 days before his Hatton fight. That's what made Pac look suspicious. Not to mention the 40 million other reasons.

In the end the solution is simple. It hardly relies on any brain activity. Its like like a fart or a burp. You shall and not you may be randomly tested for title fights. Start there. If you say no then you dont fight. Again make it a rule and further a common contract clause.

Trying to compare this with the phantom fight horror show is down right laughable.

[jehoshaphat]

I agree. This picking and choosing is terrible. They can manage to do so for top amateur competitions but somehow its a problem for professional world title fights. Allowing the fighters to govern themselves, in the most important aspect, is quite asinine.

[Rantcatrat]

Make a rule and not an offer. Real simple. Its not rocket science.

Exactly

Why is there a double standard for Ward but not for Pacquiao? There was no rule for Pacquiao. He wouldn't take the tests offered by Mayweather. Now we are a few years later, better informed of the PED landscape and with more knowledge that boxers cheat, and we still are giving guys' passes? Ward made $2MM for this fight! Pay for your own test and show Rodriguez up after you win the fight. It's simple, I agree.

People need to quit using that dog and pony show 2 year circus act as some kind of standard. I'm sure if this was a 100 million dollar fight Ward would live in a cage at the lab.

These are 2 things too far apart to compare. Beside the fact that one was done in negotiations and the other basically done in a press conference. Pac looked suspicious not because he refused but because his reasons for not wanting the tests were outright lies. He started with saying he was afraid of needles, but dons many tattoos, then he said he didn't want to give blood (thought it would make him weak) within 2 weeks of the fight and then 24/7 clearly shows Pac getting blood drawn for a physical around 12 days before his Hatton fight. That's what made Pac look suspicious. Not to mention the 40 million other reasons.

In the end the solution is simple. It hardly relies on any brain activity. Its like like a fart or a burp. You shall and not you may be randomly tested for title fights. Start there. If you say no then you dont fight. Again make it a rule and further a common contract clause.

Trying to compare this with the phantom fight horror show is down right laughable.

That's 100% the solution. Until the commissions mandate it, boxers making 7 figures to fight should take the test.

[Freedom]

Ward said today that he's refusing to take the test because it wasn't in their contract.

But you'd think the so-called "Son of God" would do it for the good of the sport. It won't cost him anything and it would make a statement to the public that he's clean.

[IamInuit]

Ward said today that he's refusing to take the test because it wasn't in their contract.

But you'd think the so-called "Son of God" would do it for the good of the sport. It won't cost him anything and it would make a statement to the public that he's clean.

Why does he have to make this statement?